U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack speaks Wednesday, May 24, 2023, during an official dedication and ribbon-cutting for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, a new $1.25-billion federal animal disease lab in Manhattan. “This was the right place,” Vilsack said. “This is a state that understands, appreciates and respects agriculture, and that’s the kind of state that should have a facility like this, because I’m confident you’ll make sure every single day this facility does its job for American farmers, ranchers and producers, and for all of our great country.”
The federal government officially selected Manhattan as the site for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in January 2009 after starting the process in 2006.
TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly urged congressional leaders to support production of the F-35 fighter jet associated with three dozen manufacturing suppliers in Kansas and linked to nearly 5,000 jobs in the state.
Kelly sent letters to members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate armed services committees and the defense appropriations subcommittees to support the domestic aviation industry, create jobs and encourage economic development in Kansas by supporting the F-35 Lightning II program.
She requested Republican and Democratic party members support President Joe Biden’s budget request for 83 F-35 jets. On an annual basis, the F-35 program has an estimated $540 million economic impact on Kansas.
“Enhancing F-35 production is important to Kansas’ future as it generates economic opportunities for our residents and supports American national security,” Kelly said. “The combined benefits of job creation, defense modernization and our state’s aviation expertise make the F-35 program valuable for Kansas and the United States.”
The fighter has encountered technology and cost-overrun challenges since entering production in 2006, but canceling the program with Lockheed Martin would be politically difficult because that would eliminate thousands of jobs.
In April, the U.S. Department of Defense awarded a $7.8 billion contract modification for F-35 aircraft to Lockheed Martin. The Defense Department last year agreed with Lockheed Martin on building about 375 F-35 fighters over three years.
Brayden Sanneman, a lifeguard with Manhattan Parks and Rec, hoses down chairs Tuesday afternoon at CiCo Pool in Manhattan. CiCo, City and Northview parks’ pools are scheduled to open Saturday.
Kansas State University President Richard Linton, center, talks with former U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, left, and current U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., before an official dedication and ribbon-cutting Wednesday, May 24, 2023, for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan.
A member of the Oath Keepers looks on as supporters of Donald Trump attend a rally protesting the 2020 election results in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021. (Bryan Smith/ZUMA Wire/TNS)
Browning Avenue in Manhattan, with some signs of road deterioration, is shown Wednesday morning.
Director of public works Rob Ott said about a quarter of roads are in poor, very serious or failed condition.
As The Mercury previously reported, the city government paid to have scans and tests done on Manhattan roads to assess the road quality. This report concluded that nearly half of roads in Manhattan are in good (top-tier) condition, just over a quarter of roads are in satisfactory and fair condition, and the last quarter are in poor or worse condition.
At Tuesday’s Manhattan City Commission meeting, Ott recommended continuing the 0.2% sales tax collection for road maintenance. However, officials suggested possibly raising the tax to 0.25%, but commissioners Wynn Butler and Linda Morse said they didn’t support that.
Morse asked whether public works could reduce the funds that go to Safe Routes to Schools from the current 5% to 3% and put that extra money toward other road maintenance.
Ott said that was at the commission’s discretion, but there are at least 16 projects in that category that need to be done.
Morse also asked why roads such as Browning Avenue have failed and deteriorated so quickly. Ott said crews previously used pavement mix that wasn’t suited to the Kansas climate, but the mix that crews currently use had yielded good results.
Morse asked whether the public works department could use better-quality paint for street lane layouts on more roads because she said the paint wears off too quickly.
Ott told her that the higher the quality of the paint, the more labor intensive and expensive it is.
The commission took no action because it was a work session.
City manager Ron Fehr said a joint meeting between Riley County commissioners and city commissioners will be June 15. At next week’s city meeting, commissioners will discuss taking unused lots owned by the city and turning them into moderate-income housing, as well as several rezoning proposals.
Greg Hoyt
Former MHS principal Greg Hoyt, 58, filed to run for the USD 383 school board on Tuesday.
Hoyt’s lived in Manhattan since he was 4 years old, graduating from Manhattan High School and Kansas State University. Following college graduation, Hoyt spent 31 years as a teacher in the district. He taught math and coached football at MHS for the first 16 years, served as principal at Eisenhower Middle School for nine years, and finished his career as MHS principal for six years.
“Manhattan has a great school system, and I want to make sure that people serving on the board are invested global thinkers,” Hoyt said. “It’s all about serving each and every student that attends school, regardless of race, religion and sexual orientation. The best way to do that is to make sure staff members in the district are supported: central office staff, teaching staff, and classified staff members. Board members serve a very important role in their capacity.”
Hoyt retired from teaching in 2019 and currently works at The Medicare Coach, an advising company for people entering the Medicare system. Hoyt’s vision’s to maintain and improve the work that the USD 383 School Board provides.
“It’s about continuing a standard of excellence that USD 383 has established,” Hoyt said. “I don’t think education for professionals, and therefore students, is getting any easier with each passing year. I think it’s getting more and more difficult, so making sure that staff members feel supported, heard and understood is important. I think having served in schools for 31 years professionally is a good background to have, but I’m going to listen to everybody’s perspective as well.”
Four board seats are up for election in November: those of Kristin Brighton, Darell Edie, Curt Herrman and Brandy Santos.
Brighton, co-owner of New Boston Creative, and Herrman are running for re-election. Santos and Edie have said they’re not running for re-election.
Other candidates in the race are retired military officer Robert Busby, former Radio Shack owner Frank Beer, and Chick-fil-A shift leader Nathan Foth.
The last date to file for city or school office is at noon on June 1. Election Day is Nov. 7.
Nolan Foth
Nolan Foth, 22, is one of the first Gen-Z candidates to run for local government, and he’s running for USD 383 School Board.
“I’m very passionate about education,” Foth said. “I believe that education should be accessible and well funded. I think that’s the foundation of any productive society. I really believe that education makes lives better and I would just like to be a part of making that possible.”
Foth just graduated from Kansas State University this May with two bachelor’s degrees in physics and psychology. He works as a shift leader at the Chick-fil-A on K-State’s campus.
“It feels good,” Foth said.
“The fact that I’m doing this, just the fact that I myself am doing this means that there’s bound to be other people my age who are also doing it. I can’t be the only one who has these ideas. I can’t be the only one who feels this way.”
Foth said he likes to challenge himself and hopes to get his foot in the door for local government and that it feels good to open the doors for other young people interested in government.
“But it feels good to open the door and show people that this isn’t the barrier. They think that is a disadvantage but it’s not.”
Foth said he’d like to give educators better pay and incentives, along with bringing in more educators to the district to help boost teacher-student interactions.
In Foth’s free time he enjoys running with his fiancée and hanging out in Aggieville and the farmers market.
Four board seats are up for election in November: those of Kristin Brighton, Darell Edie, Curt Herrman and Brandy Santos.
Brighton, co-owner of New Boston Creative, and Herrman are running for re-election. Santos and Edie have said they’re not running for re-election.
Other candidates in the race are retired military officer Robert Busby, former Radio Shack owner Frank Beer, and former MHS principal Greg Hoyt.
The last date to file for city or school office is at noon on June 1. Election Day is Nov. 7.
